If you’re in the office or scanning emails this week, wishing you happy holidays. One more short email this week and next, while the news and hiring slow down.

White Lotus Water Cooler
White Lotus announced earlier this year that its partnership with Four Seasons will not be renewed in 2026. Last week, the show began revealing new cast members for the next season, and it has since been confirmed that The White Lotus season four will take place in Paris and the French Riviera, though no hotel partners have been announced. “According to Variety, a few of the possible options in Paris include Le Lutetia, now part of the Mandarin Oriental chain, located in Saint-Germain-des-Prés on the Left Bank, and the Ritz Paris.” via Elle

Hotel Marketers You Should Know
Hospitality Friends is a curated networking group comprised of New York City’s next generation of hospitality leaders, spanning hotels, restaurants, nightlife, and members clubs.

Founded in 2023, the group was created by Alex Barz and Jenna Rosen to foster connection and collaboration among the people shaping New York’s hospitality scene. What began as a small WhatsApp chat of 35 professionals has grown organically to over 150 active members, including owners, operators, marketers, designers, and creatives from some of the city’s most notable venues and brands.

Hospitality Friends hosts quarterly gatherings across New York, from rooftops and cocktail bars to new restaurant openings, creating connection and spotlighting exceptional hospitality.

If you’re in the NY area, connect with Alex or Jenna to find out more about upcoming gatherings.

Thanks for reading.
☞ Know of a new-to-hotels marketer or a hotel marketer who was recently laid off? Forward this newsletter to them!

Trending news, marketing news, and reports:

▶️ 25 Big Ideas That Will Define 2026 // LinkedIn

▶️ How to Diagnose and Fix Google Maps Ranking Drops // Moz

▶️ Cvent buys Goldcast to Create Event and Video Marketing Platform // MarTech

▶️ 2026 Travel Predictions Revealed // Airbnb

▶️ U.S. Tourists Set Unexpected Trend In Booking Travel To Canada During The Winter // The Travel

▶️ Forget the $1.50 Hot Dogs. Have You Tried a Costco Vacation? // Wall Street Journal

▶️ Virgin Voyages Deploys AI Marketing Tools for Travel Advisors With Canva Partnership // TravelAge West

▶️ The Oscars Moving Exclusively to YouTube Beginning in 2029 // Variety

↳ An interesting watch as partnerships continue to evolve. The Oscars have previously had a relationship with cable, specifically ABC.

▶️ TikTok Has Reached a Deal to Form a Joint Venture with Oracle // The Guardian

▶️ World's Best Places to Visit for 2026 // US News Travel

▶️ The Best Hotels and Resorts in the World: The Gold List 2026 // Condé Nast Traveler

▶️ Airbnb’s testing a ‘kitchen stocking’ service that lets guests place Instacart orders before their stay // TechCrunch

▶️ Brainlabs’ 2025 Black Friday Paid Search Report // Andy Goodwin, Brainlabs

▶️ Classic Vacations® Inaugural Luxury Travel Trends Report // Classic Vacations

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Leading luxury hotel marketing across resorts and task force marketing roles over the past 15+ years led me to begin publishing The Hotel Marketing 5.15 in 2025 as a way to help keep clients up to date on hospitality marketing news and activations. I currently work remotely for Ka La‘i Waikīkī Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts.

Based on a communication method developed by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, the 5.15 is a weekly format designed to synthesize key insights in 15 minutes or less and be read in five minutes. This newsletter applies the same principle to hotel marketing: concise, actionable trends and opportunities curated for industry professionals.